Compare towns
Merrill vs Danforth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrill has the most people working from home (13.2%).
Danforth has the oldest population (median age 51.9).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Merrill | Danforth |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 372Lowest |
452Highest |
| Median age | 33.2±9.9Lowest 26% below ME |
51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 41.7%±11Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 14%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Merrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Danforth and Merrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $65,536±$8kHighest 12% below ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $131,600±$21kHighest 56% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $629±$22 45% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449 52% below ME |
— |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Merrill and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 19% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.